At A Glance
As CTV viewership grows, marketers face challenges in targeting and measurement across fragmented platforms. Identity resolution and audience strategies, supported by Experian’s syndicated audiences and privacy-safe solutions, help DSPs and advertisers reach high-value audiences, improve campaign accuracy, and drive measurable outcomes.In our Ask the Expert Series, we interview leaders from our partner organizations who are helping lead their brands to new heights in AdTech. Today’s interview is with George Castrissiades, General Manager of Connected TV at AdRoll.
Premium reach and fragmentation
As viewer attention fragments across platforms, how should marketers redefine “premium reach” in CTV to prioritize engagement and audience quality over scale alone?
A few years ago, ad supported streaming over-indexed on younger adults, those without much financial history and much more budget conscious. It would have been fair for B2B brands to assume that maybe they weren’t going to find their C-Suite audiences on those channels, and so connected TV(CTV) was positioned as a top of funnel tactic aimed at retail. But that’s all changed – ad-free prices are going up, and ad supported tiers are the norm across the majority of channels. 66% of adults have at least one ad supported streaming channel, and adults today spend nearly as much time streaming movies and TV as they spend on their mobile phones. Now that ad viewing audiences on CTV really span the full spectrum of demo, techno, and firmographic segments, savvy marketers should partner with platforms that offer breadth and depth of targeting and measurement to find the highest value audiences wherever they’re watching CTV and serve them highly relevant ads that draw their attention towards the screen. I know I’m jumping out of my seat whenever I see an AdTech or MarTech ad.
Identity and relevance
What does a strong identity framework unlock for delivering household- and person-level relevance across screens, and how does it reshape audience planning?
In privacy-safe ecosystems, people want to share less data and log in to websites and browsers less frequently. If you can’t resolve a household ID to a CTV device through Safari and other sources of obfuscated identity, you’re going to end up losing a lot of signal along the way. On top of that, targeting smaller, higher-value audiences means this attrition can have a profound impact on your ability to build meaningful reach and use audience forecasts to predict scale. A strong identity framework is the key to maintaining as much of your planned audience as possible and staying true to initial forecasts.
AI and outcome planning
How is AI evolving CTV from tactical bidding to strategic outcome planning, and what mechanisms are in place to validate true performance lift?
Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, especially not in advertising. Audiences change where and when they consume media, and so shifting budget to a placement that did well yesterday is like buying a stock when it’s outperforming – the gains might be gone by then! Predictive AI is bridging the gap to find the highest value and most engaged audiences in real time, versus being purely reactive. This helps drive outcomes which we see in the form of pipeline influence, ROAS, and site traffic lift – without exponentially increasing costs. The same is true for account-based marketing(ABM) outcomes – there’s a blend of signals, account “fit” and intent data that needs to be evaluated in a deeper, more intelligent way. AI is helping to find those highest value accounts, even before they’re in market, which means smart marketers aren’t showing up late to the party.
Measurement and incrementality
What privacy-safe, closed-loop measurement frameworks should become standard to prove incremental visits and sales from CTV campaigns?
Working with a dedicated multichannel, full-funnel ad and marketing platform like AdRoll can easily let you know when a user arrives at your site and makes a purchase, but understanding how that customer arrived there and which tactics deserve the credit requires a deeper, more sophisticated workflow. Our partnership with Experian allows all devices in a household to ladder back up to a household ID, so we can ensure accuracy without pivoting on anything personally identifiable. This works perfectly in CTV, an environment that follows an app workflow of user resettable device IDs rather than IP address or email but always connects seamlessly to web tokens including cookies. Accuracy, scale, and privacy are maintained in a proven way – you see this tech underpinning the infrastructure of streaming across all the biggest players, so marketers can rest easy.
Creative and commerce
How can creative sequencing and shoppable TV experiences convert living-room attention into commerce without compromising user experience or feeling intrusive?
I like to say that CTV trades attention for action. Users lean back and focus on the messaging and visuals of the big screen rather than scrambling for the mouse or tapping to close some intrusive pop-up. This focus means that the messaging is absorbed more quickly, but creatives can wear out their welcome just as fast. Sequential messaging really helps to move the messaging along without subjecting the viewer to longer ads where attention wanes, but also increases brand recall and specific product information because the story evolves with each impression. This is a great tactic to use when you want a viewer to take a specific action later – but shoppable ads can help motivate a user to act now, and new formats can really simplify things. Shoppable can feel out of range for most – the top players in this space own major e-comm storefronts and then tie them back into their own demand-side platforms (DSPs), content, and streaming devices. For the rest of us, dipping our toes in slowly through simple and cheap solutions like QR codes can connect audiences right to a web experience from their TVs, or intermediate solutions like interactive video ads. Users love to play around with fun on-screen experiences, and there’s a whole spectrum of crawl/walk/run options available.
Trust and governance
Which shared guardrails—brand safety, fraud control, and frequency management- are essential to unlocking sustainable, scaled investment in CTV?
I’ve always thought of CTV inventory analogously to high-end watches – if you buy from the source or a well-known, reputable dealer, you’re probably buying the real thing. But that fancy timepiece the guy was selling outside the bar, that you swore looked real? Probably not. Untrusted resellers and too-good-to-be-true pricing might mean you’re running ads on a screen at a lonely gas station at 3 am to an audience of no one, and that’s not even the worst case scenario. Good relationships and deep pockets can solve brand safety and fraud issues, but not every advertiser is going to have those resources. Brand safety and fraud prevention can reduce workload and help distinguish the good stuff from the growing pool of gray area, arguably, CTV inventory that isn’t what was promised to a customer. Outsourcing this trust also goes a long way, with buyers knowing you’re not grading your own homework. Frequency management is equally as important. Once you have your audience and your good supply, it’s important not to abuse a single household just because they meet your targeting criteria. Reach is your best friend with CTV.
Data and audience strategy
How do Experian’s syndicated audiences provide a consistent, scalable foundation for planning, activation, and measurement across CTV and digital, and what outcomes are clients seeing?
We love to talk about how Experian’s data is such an integral part of so much of streaming’s architecture, and the fact that it’s built on deterministic datasets means you’re getting scaled audiences built on knowledge rather than best guesses. That means a lot when working across multiple channels, privacy-safe environments, and households with an ever-growing number of connected devices. Our customers are always delighted at how precise targeting can be, especially in the B2B/B2C space – and knowing the size of those audiences helps them to understand how budget transforms into reach in a more predictable way. It’s confidence-inspiring to point to a new audience and tell your client that these are their future customers. The best part is showing them the outcomes reporting – we consistently see a massive spike in site traffic and engagement on days when a new Experian syndicated audience is launched!
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FAQs
Identity resolution ensures marketers can connect devices and maintain audience accuracy. Experian’s identity solutions help reduce data loss and improve audience forecasts, making campaigns more effective.
With viewer attention spread across platforms, marketers need tools that offer both broad and detailed targeting. Experian’s syndicated audiences provide reliable, scalable data to help identify and reach high-value audiences across channels.
Techniques like sequential messaging and shoppable ads keep viewers engaged and encourage action. Simple tools like QR codes or interactive video ads can connect audiences to web experiences directly from their TVs.
Strong identity frameworks help DSPs maintain accurate targeting and audience reach, even in privacy-focused environments. By connecting devices to household IDs, solutions like Experian’s Digital Graph ensure DSPs can deliver relevant ads and measure performance effectively across channels.
About our expert
George Castrissiades, General Manager of Connected TV, AdRoll
George leads the CTV go-to-market strategy at NextRoll, driving rapid growth and adoption of the channel for both B2B and B2C customers. With a track record of building and scaling CTV solutions, he is focused on developing a strategic playbook that accelerates success in the evolving digital advertising landscape.
Before joining NextRoll, George spearheaded CTV product innovation at iSpot.tv and held leadership roles in product and operations at YouTube, VICE Media, Crackle, Roku, and Innovid. His expertise spans product development, monetization, and market expansion.
About AdRoll
AdRoll is a connected advertising platform built for growth-minded marketers. With powerful AI, flexible campaign tools, and seamless integrations, AdRoll helps mid-sized businesses turn complexity into clarity and clicks into customers. The AdRoll platform delivers full-funnel performance through multi-channel advertising, audience insights, and cross-channel attribution, supporting marketers across industries including ecommerce, technology, financial services, education, and more. For B2B teams, AdRoll ABM extends these capabilities with account-based precision, multi-touch campaigns, and real-time buyer intelligence. Backed by nearly 20 years of data and award-winning support, AdRoll enables marketing teams to advertise smarter, move faster, and achieve more, all from one place.
Latest posts
If Santa used data to plan his holiday campaign, he’d call Experian. After all, how else could he deliver the right gifts to the right household? From sleigh bells to savings alerts, the holiday season isn’t just about Christmas. Whether you’re celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Lunar New Year, or simply the season of giving, brands have one thing in common: a need to reach the right audience at the right time, with messaging that resonates. Retail sales for 2025 are expected to grow 2.7–3.7% YoY, reaching nearly $5.48 trillion, with mobile commerce driving 75% of e-commerce growth. With so many brands vying for attention, delivering the right message to the right audience can be the difference between a one-time click and a lifelong customer. In this article, we’ll unwrap Experian’s holiday shopping audiences, including 25 new audiences, designed to help you reach the most relevant shoppers for your holiday campaigns. These audiences are available for activation on-the-shelf of most major platforms, including TV, social, and programmatic. You can find the complete audience segment name in the appendix. 2025 Holiday spending trends and insights report Download our latest report, in collaboration with GroundTruth, for data-driven insights you can use to refine your messaging and reach the right audience in their preferred channels this holiday season. Download now Deck the data halls: What separates Experian's syndicated audiences? Utilize Experian’s syndicated audiences to ensure your marketing messages resonate with shoppers. Experian’s 3,200+ syndicated audiences can be sent to 200+ leading social platforms, such as Meta and Pinterest, TV, programmatic advertising platforms, and directly within Audigent for activation within private marketplaces (PMPs). Reach consumers based on who they are, where they live, and their household makeup. Experian ranked #1 in accuracy by Truthset for key demographic attributes. Access to unique audiences through Experian’s Partner Audiences available on Experian’s data marketplace, within Audigent for activation in PMPs, and directly on platforms like DirectTV, Dish, Magnite, OpenAP, and The Trade Desk. Four audience categories to target this holiday season Even Santa needs help organizing his list these days, especially with so many kinds of households to deliver holiday magic to. With the U.S. population growing by roughly 21.7 million people in the last decade, there are more holiday tables to set, more last-minute carts to fill, and more families hitting the road than ever before. Experian Audiences and Partner Audiences help Santa (and your brand) get the message just right. New this season! Experian now offers Consumer Packaged Goods audiences to help you reach consumers ready to get into the holiday spirit with seasonal baking, cooking, and other goods. Here are four households on Santa’s sleigh route and how you can reach them with Experian: The merry makers The list-checkers The holiday hoppers The entertainers Let’s unwrap the segments within each category. This group isn’t just celebrating; they’re setting the stage. Whether they’re prepping for Friendsgiving or a cozy Diwali dinner, they’re fueling the season with food, décor, and hospitality. Holiday hosts and entertainers allocated more than $260 on food, candy, and decor alone in 2024, and according to GroundTruth, Saturday, December 7, 2024, was the busiest in-store shopping day across nearly every major category. Grocery store sales climbed 2.1% during the 2024 holiday season, and hosting Thanksgiving cost an average of $431. Here are 10 holiday host audiences to target this holiday season and how you can reach them with Experian: NEW! Bakeries High Spend NEW! Caterers High Spend NEW! Chocolate Candy Box Bag Bar Shoppers 3.5oz Plus NEW! Chocolate Shoppers NEW! Cocktail Mix Shoppers NEW! Frosting and Frosting Mix Shoppers NEW! Marshmallow Shoppers NEW! Ready-to-Use Pie Crust Shoppers NEW! Sugar Shoppers Holiday Shoppers: High Spenders How to use these audiences Santa knows this household is hosting the holiday magic, so he loads his sleigh with gourmet cocoa, festive napkins, and extra marshmallows to make sure the party is stocked with seasonal favorites. A consumer-packaged goods brand launching a new holiday baking product can reach Chocolate Shoppers, Holiday Shopping High Spenders, and Ready-to-Use Pie Crust audiences to connect with high-intent hosts prepping festive desserts. This household isn’t just shopping; they’re creating the perfect gifts. In 2024, U.S. shoppers planned to spend more than $1,000 on holiday gifts as online purchases surged, totaling $241 billion between November 1 and December 31. Looking to 2025, according to our latest holiday insights, just 22% of consumers expect to spend more, while 27% anticipate cutting back. With consumer confidence still on an uneven footing and inflation having climbed up to 2.9%, shoppers are approaching holiday lists with greater caution. Experian’s purchase-based data shows mass retail remains a bright spot, with value-driven spending holding strong amid recent dips and rebounds, as shoppers cautiously resume purchases. That makes gift-focused households more deliberate with their choices and reinforces that brands emphasizing value and trust will earn lasting loyalty. Here are 10 list-checker audiences to consider this holiday season: NEW! Precious Stones Metals Watches Jewelry High Spend Big Box/Club Stores Holiday Shoppers Black Friday Holiday Shoppers Cyber Monday Holiday Shoppers Heavy Buyer/Spenders Holiday Shoppers: In-Store or Online High Spend Gift Shoppers Holiday Shoppers: Apparel (Clothing) Luxury Gift Shoppers Online Coupon Users Post Holiday Shoppers How to use these audiences Santa knows this household goes big when it comes to gifting, so he makes sure their stockings are filled with trinkets, timeless watches, and the kind of treasures that twinkle under the tree. A luxury jewelry brand launching a limited-edition holiday collection can activate Precious Stones Metals Watches Jewelry High Spend and Luxury Gift Shoppers audiences to reach buyers who believe in gifts that sparkle. This household is on the move. From planes and trains to jam-packed highways, travel is back in full force. In 2024, a record 119.3 million Americans traveled during the holiday period, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Road trips remained the most popular mode, while air travel hit a new high with 7.85 million flyers. Here are 10 holiday travel audiences to target: NEW! Bridge and Road Fees Tolls High Spend NEW! Hotel High Spend NEW! Lodging Hotels Motels Resorts High Spend NEW! Passenger Railways High Spend NEW! Timeshares High Spend NEW! Tourist Attractions and Exhibits High Spend NEW! Travel Agencies and Tour Operators High Spend Holiday Budget Savvy Airline Travelers Holiday Travel – Airline Holiday Travel – Train How to use these audiences For this household, Santa swaps his sleigh for the train car – booking them on a magical Polar Express journey complete with cocoa, carols, and a golden ticket to holiday wonder. When brands want to deliver the same magic, a travel package could bundle tickets to a railway’s Polar Express immersive experience with air travel and lodging, activating the Hotel High Spend, Travel Agencies High Spend, and Passenger Railways High Spend audiences to reach travelers seeking an unforgettable holiday adventure. This household knows how to celebrate from the couch. Whether it’s football, holiday movies, or once-a-year specials, the screen is their gathering place. On December 25, 2024, Americans streamed more than 50 billion minutes of content, making it the most-streamed day in U.S. television history. From dazzling halftime shows to nostalgic holiday classics, entertainment is the heartbeat of the season. Here are 10 entertainer audiences to target: Cable and Streaming TV Service Subscribers Cable Satellite or Streaming Network Subscribers Co-Watchers Cord Cutters Holiday TV NFL Enthusiasts Paid TV High Spenders Screen Size – Large Sports Enthusiasts Streaming Video: High Spenders Download our holiday audience guide How to use these audiences Santa knows this audience loves flipping between a holiday classic and the big game. That’s why he delivers gifts for households craving the latest binge-worthy content. It could be a subscription or a big-screen update wrapped with a bow. These audiences represent a golden opportunity to pair campaigns with highly engaged moments. A beverage brand can target NFL Enthusiasts during a holiday football broadcast with ads for limited-edition game-day packs. Sleigh your campaign goals this holiday season with Experian Audiences The holiday season is the busiest time of year for brands – and for Santa. That’s why he relies on Experian to make his list, check it twice, and be sure every sleigh stop is spot-on. Experian’s data, ranked #1 in accuracy by Truthset, allows brands to reach people based on demographic, geographic, and behavioral attributes (e.g., websites visited and purchase history). By using Experian Audiences in your holiday advertising campaigns, you can reach holiday hosts, gift-givers, entertainers, holiday travelers, and many more. Where can you activate Experian Audiences? Find our audiences available directly on over 30 platforms including: Basis FreeWheel Magnite Nexxen The Trade Desk Viant Microsoft Advertising and more Just as shoppers seek the perfect gifts, with the right strategy, your holiday advertising campaigns can capture the right shoppers. Need a custom audience? Reach out to our audience team and we can help you build and activate an Experian audience on the platform of your choice. Want to activate an Experian syndicated audience on Meta, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok or on a platform not listed above? Contact us today. Additionally, work with Experian’s network of data providers to build audiences and send to an Audigent PMP for activation. You can activate our syndicated audiences on-the-shelf of most major platforms. For a full list of Experian’s syndicated audiences and activation destinations, download our syndicated audiences guide. Explore our other seasonal audiences that you can activate today. View now Activate holiday audiences today with Audigent Planning a performance-driven push this holiday season? Audigent will build customized deals that combine premium Experian syndicated or Partner Audiences and inventory into a single, streamlined deal ID – tailored to your campaign needs. Plus, our powerful supply-side optimization ensures your campaigns deliver top marks in performance. Connect with the Audigent team today at AudigentAgency_Brands@experian.com to get your holiday campaign wrapped and ready to go. Let's make your holiday campaigns magical FAQs Where can I activate Experian Audiences? Experian Audiences can be activated on 200+ leading platforms, including social media (Meta, Pinterest, Snap, TikTok), TV and streaming (DirectTV, Dish, OpenAP), programmatic platforms (The Trade Desk, Magnite, Nexxen), and directly within Audigent PMPs. How many syndicated audiences does Experian offer? Experian offers over 3,200 syndicated audiences, ranging from demographic and geographic segments to purchase-based and lifestyle categories. These are ranked #1 in accuracy by Truthset for key demographic attributes. What’s new for the 2025 holiday season? This year, Experian has introduced 25 new holiday-ready audiences, including consumer packaged goods (CPG) segments like Chocolate Shoppers, Ready-to-Use Pie Crust Shoppers, and Cocktail Mix Shoppers, plus new travel audiences. Can I create a custom audience? Yes. If you need something beyond syndicated segments, Experian’s team can help you build and activate custom audiences tailored to your campaign goals on the platform of your choice. Latest posts Appendix Here are the complete audience segment names (taxonomy paths) for all audience segments discussed in this blog post. The merry makers Purchase Predictors > Shoppers All Channels > Bakeries High Spend Purchase Predictors > Shoppers All Channels > Caterers High Spend Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > CPG Engagement > Chocolate Candy Box Bag Bar Shoppers Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > CPG Engagement > Chocolate Shoppers Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > CPG Engagement > Cocktail Mix Shoppers Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > CPG Engagement > Frosting and Frosting Mix Shoppers Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Seasonal > Holiday Shoppers: High Spenders Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > CPG Engagement > Marshmallow Shoppers Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > CPG Engagement > Ready To Use Pie Crust Shoppers Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > CPG Engagement > Sugar Shoppers The list-checkers Purchase Predictors > Shoppers All Channels > Precious Stones Metals Watches Jewelry High Retail Shopper: Purchase Based > Seasonal > Holiday Shoppers: Big Box/Club Stores Shoppers Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Seasonal > Holiday Shoppers: Black Friday Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Seasonal > Holiday Shoppers: Cyber Monday Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Seasonal > Holiday Shoppers: Heavy Buyer/Spenders: In Store Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Seasonal > Holiday Shoppers: Heavy Buyer/Spenders: Online Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Shopping Behavior > Gift Shoppers High Spend Spenders Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Seasonal > Holiday Shoppers: Apparel (Clothing) Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Seasonal > Holiday Shoppers: Luxury Gift Shoppers Retail Shoppers: Purchased Based > Shopping Behavior > Online Coupon Users Retail Shoppers: Purchased Based > Seasonal > Holiday Shoppers: Post holiday The holiday hoppers Purchase Predictors > Shoppers All Channels > Bridge and Road Fees Tolls High Spend Purchase Predictors > Shoppers All Channels > Hotels High Spend Purchase Predictors > Shoppers All Channels > Lodging Hotels Motels Resorts High Spend Purchase Predictors > Shoppers All Channels > Passenger Railways High Spend Purchase Predictors > Shoppers All Channels > Timeshares High Spend Purchase Predictors > Shoppers All Channels > Tourist Attractions and Exhibits High Spend Purchase Predictors > Shoppers All Channels > Travel Agencies and Tour Operators High Spend Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Seasonal > Holiday Budget Savvy Airline Travelers Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Seasonal > Holiday Travel – Airline Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Seasonal> Holiday Travel – Train The entertainers Television (TV) > Household/Family Viewing > Cable and Streaming Service Subscribers Television (TV) > Household/Family Viewing > Cable Satellite or Streaming Network Television (TV) > Household/Family Viewing > Co-Watchers Television (TV) > Household/Family Viewing > Cord Cutters Publisher Derived > IAB Television > Holiday TV Lifestyle and Interests (Affinity) > Activities and Entertainment > NFL Enthusiasts Television (TV) > TV Enthusiasts > Paid TV High Spenders Television (TV) > Viewing Device Type > Screen Size – Large Lifestyle and Interests (Affinity) > Sports and Recreation > Sports Enthusiast Retail Shoppers: Purchase Based > Entertainment > Streaming/Video/Audio/CTV/Cable TV: Streaming Video: High Spenders
If you've ever sat in a meeting and heard an AdTech term you didn’t understand, you’re not alone. The industry evolves as quickly as a café turns over tables on a busy weekend. Even seasoned regulars can get tripped up by the jargon. So instead of scratching your head over the “menu,” let's walk through some of the most common terms: served café-style. The ingredients: The many flavors of first-party data Every meal starts with ingredients, and in AdTech, those ingredients are data. First-party data is not just one thing: it's more like everything your favorite neighborhood café knows about you. First-party data The café knows your coffee preferences because you've told them directly; whether by ordering at the counter, calling in, or placing an order online. This is information you’ve willingly provided through your interactions, and it belongs only to that café. First-party cookies The barista writes down your preferences in a notebook behind the counter, so next time you walk in, they don’t have to ask. First-party cookies remember details to make your experience smoother, but only for that café. Authenticated identity A loyalty app that connects online orders to in-person visits. By logging in, you're saying, “Yes, it's really me.” Authenticated identity is proof that the customer isn't just a face in line, but someone with a verified profile. Persistent identity Recognizing you whether you order through the app or in person. Persistent identity enables the ability to keep track of someone across different touchpoints, consistently, without confusing them with someone else. Permissioned data Agreeing to join the loyalty program and get emails. Permissioned data is a connection to the customer that the customer proactively shared with the café by signing up for their loyalty program or email newsletter. Each piece comes from direct interactions, stored and used in different ways. That's what makes first-party data nuanced. The saga of third-party cookie deprecation and changing privacy regulations makes it important to understand which types of data you can collect and use for marketing purposes. And once you have those ingredients, the next step is making sure you recognize how they fit together, so you can see each customer clearly. That’s where identity resolution comes in. The recipe: Bringing the ingredients together with identity resolution At the café, identity resolution is what helps the staff recognize you as the same customer across every interaction. Without it, they might think you’re two different people; one who always orders breakfast and another who sometimes picks up pastries to go. Matching The café has a loyalty program, and the pet bakery next door has one too. When they match records across their two data sets, they realize “M. Jones” from the café is the same person as “Michelle Jones” from the bakery. That connection means they can activate a joint promotion, like free coffee with a dog treat, without either business handing over their full customer lists. In marketing, matching works the same way, linking records across data sets for activation so campaigns reach the right people. Deduplication Collapses duplicate profiles into a single, clean record, so you don't get two birthday coupons, even though that would be nice to get. That's what Experian does at scale: we connect billions of IDs in a privacy-safe way, so you can get an accurate picture of your audience. And once you can recognize your customers across touchpoints, the next challenge is collaborating across systems and partners for deeper insights. That's where the behind-the-counter processes come in. Behind the counter: Crosswalks and clean rooms At a café, these terms are like the behind-the-counter processes that keep everything running smoothly. They may sound technical, but they all serve the same purpose: helping data collaborate across different sources, while keeping sensitive information safe. The goal is a better “meal” for the customer, deeper insights, better targeting, and more personalized campaigns. Here's how they work. Crosswalks The café partners with the pet bakery next door. They both serve a lot of the same people, but they track them differently. With a crosswalk, they can use a shared key to recognize the same customer across both businesses, so you get a coffee refill, and your dog gets a treat, without either one handing over their full customer list. A crosswalk is the shared system that lets both know it is really you, without swapping personal details. It's the bridge connecting two silos of data. Clean rooms The café and the pet bakery want to learn more about their shared customers, like whether dog owners are more likely to stop by for brunch on weekends. Instead of swapping their full records, they bring their data into another café’s private back room, a clean room, where they can compare trends safely and privately. Both get useful insights, while customer details stay protected. That’s a clean room: secure collaboration without exposing sensitive data. Of course, sharing and protecting data is only part of the picture. The real test comes when you need to serve customers in new ways, especially as the industry moves beyond cookies. Serving customers in new ways: Cookie-free to ID-free Targeting has evolved beyond cookies, just like cafés no longer rely only on notebooks to remember regulars. ID-free targeting The café looks at ordering patterns, like cappuccinos selling on Mondays and croissants on Fridays, without tracking who's ordering what. Instead of focusing on who the customer is, the café tailors choices based on the context of the situation, like time of day or day of the week. This is like contextual targeting, serving ads based on the environment or behavior in the moment, rather than on personal identity. ID-agnostic targeting The café realizes customers show up in all sorts of ways: walk in, online ordering, delivery. Each channel has its own “ID,” a name on the app, a credit card, or a loyalty profile. ID-agnostic targeting means no matter how you order, the café can still serve you without being locked into one system. Just like cafés no longer rely only on notebooks to keep track of regulars, marketers no longer have to depend solely on cookies. Today, there are multiple paths, cookie-free, ID-free, and ID-agnostic, that can all help deliver better, more relevant experiences. But even with new ways to reach people, one big question remains: how do you know if it’s actually working? That’s where measurement and outcomes come into play. Counting tables vs. counting sales At the café, measurement and outcomes aren't the same. Measurement Tables filled, cups poured, specials ordered. Outcomes What it all means: higher revenue, more loyalty sign-ups, or increased sales from a new promotion. Both matter. Measurement shows whether the café is running smoothly, but outcomes prove whether the promotions and strategies are truly paying off. Together, they help connect day-to-day activity to long-term success. All of this brings us back to the bigger picture: understanding the menu well enough to enjoy the meal. From menu to meal In AdTech, there will always be new terms coming onto the menu. What matters most is understanding them well enough to know how they help you reach your business goals. Just like at the café, asking a question about the specials isn’t foolish. It’s how you make sure you get exactly what you want. The more we, as an industry, understand the “ingredients” of data and identity, the better we can cook up new solutions that serve both brands and consumers. After all, the goal isn't just to talk about the menu, it’s to enjoy the meal. At Experian, we help brands turn that menu into action. From identity resolution to privacy-safe data collaboration, our solutions make it easier to connect with audiences, activate campaigns, and measure real outcomes. If you're ready to move from decoding the jargon to delivering better customer experiences, we’re here to help FAQs What is first-party data, and why is it important? First-party data is information a customer shares directly with a brand, like purchase history, preferences, or sign-ups. It’s the most valuable and privacy-safe data marketers can use to build personalized campaigns. How do identity resolution and matching work in marketing? Identity resolution ensures a brand can recognize the same customer across different touchpoints. Matching links records across data sets (e.g., between partners) so campaigns reach the right people without exposing full customer lists. What’s the difference between a crosswalk and a clean room? A crosswalk bridges two data systems with a shared key to recognize the same customer, while a clean room allows partners to analyze data together securely without exposing sensitive details. What does “cookie-free” or “ID-free” targeting mean? Cookie-free and ID-free targeting shift focus away from tracking individuals, instead tailoring ads based on context (like time of day or content being viewed) or allowing flexibility across multiple IDs. How is measurement different from outcomes? Measurement tracks activity (like clicks or visits), while outcomes prove business impact (like sales, loyalty, or revenue). Both are essential, but outcomes show whether strategies are truly effective. How does Experian help marketers with these AdTech challenges? Experian provides tools for identity resolution, privacy-safe data collaboration, and campaign measurement, helping marketers move from understanding the “menu” of AdTech terms to achieving real results. Latest posts
Holiday shopping in 2025 feels a lot like a complicated relationship. Shoppers want deals, but they also want trust. They start shopping early, but they’re still browsing well into December. They love the convenience of online shopping, but they still show up in-store before making the final call. Our 2025 Holiday spending trends and insights report, created this year in collaboration with GroundTruth, explores these contradictions. Our findings show that this year’s holiday season isn’t about one big shift; it’s about managing the push and pull between what consumers say, what they do, and how marketers respond. Here are three complicated truths you need to know. Experian's 2025 Holiday spending trends and insights report Optimize your 2025 holiday shopping campaigns with our latest report with GroundTruth. Download now 1. The new rules of holiday timing Almost half (45%) of consumers plan to start shopping before November, but 62% admit they’ll still be buying in December. And post-holiday shopping (think gift card redemptions and deal-hunting) remains a real factor. Why it’s complicated The holiday calendar isn’t what it used to be. There’s no single “big moment” anymore. Instead, shoppers are spreading purchases across months, peaking around the “Turkey 12” (the 12 days surrounding Thanksgiving) and again in the final December rush. What to do about it Stretch your campaigns across the full season, not just Cyber Week. Refresh offers to stay relevant as shopper motivations change from deal-seeking to last-minute urgency. Watch for post-holiday momentum and extend your promotions into January. How belVita nailed the timingIn celebration of National Coffee Day, belVita partnered with GroundTruth on a one-month campaign to boost product awareness and drive foot traffic to Target stores. By utilizing digital out-of-home (DOOH) and mobile ads powered by location, behavioral, and purchase-based targeting, the campaign achieved a 3.44% visitation rate, nearly $476k in products added to carts, and a low cost-per-visit of just $0.22. 2. Online leads, but in-store still seals the deal Nearly 40% of shoppers say they’ll split their purchases between online and in-store and 80% of consumers still prefer the in-store experience. Only a small fraction plan to shop exclusively in one channel. That means while digital often starts the journey, the final decision often happens in a physical store. Why it’s complicated Shoppers love the convenience of browsing online, but they still want the reassurance of seeing, touching, or testing products before buying. In-store isn’t just about the transaction, it’s the validation step. What to do about it Build omnichannel strategies that connect digital discovery with in-store follow-through. Use location and identity data to tie digital impressions to real-world actions, like foot traffic and purchases. Focus on consistency: shoppers expect the same value, tone, and trust whether they’re on a website, in an app, or standing in a store aisle. How Duke Cannon used on-premise targeting to drive sales liftDuke Cannon, a premium men's grooming brand, partnered with GroundTruth to launch a successful multichannel campaign utilizing location-based and behavioral audience targeting across CTV and mobile screens to drive in-store visits and sales. By targeting consumers with mobile ads while they were physically in-store, the company capitalized on high purchase intent, aiding in the 12% sales lift. This strategic approach resulted in over 43.9k provable in-store visits and a significant increase in sales. 3. Marketers double down, consumers hold back This holiday season, expectations are split. 66% of marketers expect holiday spend to rise, but only 22% of consumers agree. While brands are leaning into bigger investments across CTV, retail media, and social, shoppers are staying cautious, weighing value and waiting for the right deal. Why it’s complicated That disconnect introduces risk. If marketers don’t align spend with real consumer behavior, budgets can get wasted in the rush to cover every channel. Shoppers haven’t stopped spending, but they're spending differently. They’re trading down to discount and big-box retailers while cutting back in discretionary categories like apparel and restaurants. What to do about it Prioritize efficiency by focusing on the right audiences, not just more impressions. Make consistency your advantage: reach people once and connect across platforms instead of chasing fragmented signals. Balance aggressive media investment with messaging that acknowledges consumer caution — shoppers want value and trust, not hype. Measuring TV and streaming impact with iSpotiSpot’s Audience Builder, powered by Experian’s Marketing Attributes, helps brands reach high-value audiences. During the holiday season, a luxury retailer could target $100K+ households with affluent lifestyle interests. With iSpot’s Unified Measurement platform, they can track performance across linear TV and streaming and shift spend in real time to maximize results. The bottom line on 2025 holiday shopping trends This year’s holiday shopping season is, well…complicated. Shoppers are cautious but still engaged. They’re early planners and last-minute browsers. They want the ease of digital, but the confidence of in-person. For marketers, the opportunity lies in embracing that complexity, not trying to simplify it away. The brands that balance relevance, trust, and convenience across the full season and across every channel will be the ones that win. Download our full 2025 Holiday spending trends and insights report to explore all five shifts shaping this season and see how you can turn complexity into opportunity. Download FAQs Why is holiday shopping in 2025 described as “complicated”? Because consumer behavior is full of contradictions. People will shop earlier but also later, browse online but purchase in-store, and want deals while demanding trust. Marketers need to navigate these push-and-pull dynamics. When do most shoppers plan to start their holiday shopping? Nearly half (45%) say they’ll start before November, but 62% admit they’ll still be buying in December, with momentum even continuing into January through gift card redemptions and deal-hunting. What role do physical stores still play in holiday shopping? Although many consumers begin online, the majority still make their final decisions in-store. In-person shopping acts as a validation step where customers can see, touch, or try products before buying. How should marketers adapt their strategies to shifting holiday timing? Instead of focusing only on Black Friday or Cyber Week, marketers should stretch campaigns across the full season, refresh offers frequently, and continue promotions into January. Are marketers and consumers aligned on holiday spending expectations? Not entirely. 66% of marketers expect spending to rise, but only 22% of consumers agree. Shoppers are cautious, prioritizing value and often trading down to discount or big-box retailers. What’s the best way to connect online discovery with in-store sales? An omnichannel approach using identity and location data can bridge digital impressions with real-world actions like store visits and purchases, ensuring consistency across touchpoints. What can brands learn from the case studies in the report? Brands like belVita and Duke Cannon successfully tied digital campaigns to in-store results by utilizing precise audience targeting, location data, and well-timed promotions. Where can I get the full insights report? You can download Experian’s 2025 Holiday spending trends and insights report to explore all five shifts shaping this season. Latest posts